FILE - In a Sunday, Sept. 17, 2017, record photo, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers execute astatine KAABOO 2017 astatine the Del Mar Racetrack and Fairgrounds, successful San Diego. Nearly 2 decades aft earning a spot successful the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and much than 4 years aft his death, stone icon Petty has been awarded an honorary Ph.D. from the University of Florida, the schools committee of trustees announced Friday, Dec. 3, 2021. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP, File) (Amy Harris, 2017 Invision)

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Nearly 2 decades aft earning a spot successful the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and much than 4 years aft his death, stone icon Tom Petty has been awarded an honorary Ph.D. from the University of Florida.

The school’s committee of trustees unanimously voted to grant Thomas Earl Petty a posthumous doctoral grade successful euphony during a Friday meeting. Born and raised successful Gainesville, Petty erstwhile worked arsenic a groundskeeper astatine UF arsenic helium tried to marque it successful the euphony industry, but helium was ne'er enrolled.

Petty passed distant from an accidental cause overdose successful October 2017. Days aboriginal during a UF location shot game, the opus “I Won’t Back Down” was played astatine the stadium arsenic a memorial to Petty. The opus has since go a regular diagnostic astatine Gators games.

Usually backed by the Heartbreakers, Petty broke done successful the 1970s and went connected to merchantability much than 80 cardinal records, featuring hits similar “Free Fallin,’” “Refugee” and “American Girl.” Petty and the Heartbreakers were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame successful 2002.

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